Bloodied Deception
by bizzick
Summary: Byzantium and Once Upon A Time crossover. In Maine a Soul Consumer is killing people but no one knows who it is or how it kills its victims. Everyone is guilty but some are different and the strong, dense influence of magic is there lurking in the shadows. As the death rate rises so do the stakes, so how far are they willing to go and trust the residents of an unmapped town?
1. Prologue

The victim was helpless like all the others before him. Young 32 year old Barry Edwards had led a normal life before his job as a builder required tearing down an old abandoned motel. Now there he was cowering in the shadowy corners, hiding from a creature who had murdered countless victims. According to legend the last thing the people saw before they died was a hand. Some say the creature is a siren, a lost girl perhaps or of the most fearsome of all, it is a hand from hell. Barry simply thought it was a good way to scare his two children, then eight Hannah and 3 year old Sammy, to bed. Now he believed it and was willing to beg for the creatures body lay there perfectly preserved. He looked alive apart from the fact his eyes were closed and no one could hear the thud of his heart, as an inhuman chuckle escaped from the creatures mouth.


	2. Chapter 1

p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"Chapter One: Reawakened/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"Regina POV/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"Regina Mills sauntered down the street, smiling a malevolent smile. Her town of StoryBrooke had been in her grasp as long as she can bother to remember. Everyone feared her and her supposed lover, Mr Gold. Her heart trembled. Yes she loved and respected him but a minuscule part of her feared him. She strolled over to her office and stared at the blood red apples in a white branch like bowl. For sitting in her white leather chair was Mr Gold himself. She smiled seductively and threw him an apple which he caught in one hand./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"'I wasn't expecting company.'/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"'Delicious always, dearie.'/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"'Plum ones mixing with Golds. /p  
hr /  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"Mary POV/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"Mary wasn't going to complain. The mere thought of having her own daughter left her speechless with delight./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"David wheezed./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"Mary looked down at his hands and saw they had both gone slightly grey. She released them and gave one final push./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"A few minutes later the doctor walked back in and handed the baby girl to her parents. Like an excited wolf pup Ruby bounded in./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"'What you going to call her?'/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"The couple exchanged a small look and both spoke. 'Emma.'/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"'How charming,' said a voice not a single soul wanted to hear. Regina. She sauntered and sneered at the baby./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"David, Ruby and Archie stood in front of Mary, trying to protect her. Regina stopped at the door and whispered something before leaving./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"David screamed but Regina had completely disappeared./p  
hr /  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"Gold POV/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"Gold watched Regina and threw a glance at her full hips and luscious lips. He admired her beauty and thought she was even prettier than Mary or even Ruby. He remembered when he first kissed her. It exploded and was full of passion. Now Gold could feel some resistance coming off Regina. He ignored it but wished he hadnGold at least let me put Henry to Me.s little finger. Mary eased her finger out and grabbed the mail. Seeing one addressed to her, she used her newly manicured fingers to saw open the letter. However as she read what it said her blood ran cold./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"To Mary,/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"You and your family are next. Someone has reawakened the Soul Consumer. You must tell no one and dispose of this letter quickly. Hide Emma because she might be the beast's undoing. Nobody in this town would do something that foolish. No, someone else, someone newer. Colin./p 


	3. Chapter 2

div id="content_wrapper" class="xcontrast " style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"  
div id="content_wrapper_inner" style="max-height: 999999px; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); outline: 0px; padding: 0.5em;"  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"Chapter 2: The Soul Consumer/div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"Mary POV/div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"'Come on David pack faster.' Mary whined. A week had passed since the letter had come yet they had still not left. Ruby had visited to help with packing but was under supervision from the town Sheriff on the account of using drugs. Ruby denied the accusations but still the couple were wary of her around the baby. Yet in time to come they would owe Ruby their lives./div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"hr /div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"Sally Jones, worked on the same project as Barry Edwards and sorely missed the man. The project was now three months in progress and there had been no more deaths. Confident that night, Sally placed the key in the lock and turned. She walked in and checked the blueprints then froze. A heavy thud of footsteps sounded behind her and she fought the urge to look. However she resisted but was confronted by a dark shape which lunged. Sally's brown eyes closed yet another victim of the Soul Consumer./div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"hr /div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"Ruby POV/div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"Ruby stalked into Mr Dead's and sat in her usual booth. Her waiter usually a peppy, naive bunny had been replaced with a macho hunk. Ruby smiled at him from under her hair and giggled. After the meal the waiter, Zack and Ruby walked home. Once through the door their lips connected and the door slammed /Mary POV/div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"The next day Mary was getting groceries out of the car when a tear stained Ruby Ran up. 'Ruby, what's the matter?' Asked Mary trying to console her friend. 'My parents died last night' Cried Ruby breaking down. Mary offered that Ruby could stay the night provided her job did not interfere. Ruby agreed and asked to see Emma. Emma in her cot reached up and tugged at Ruby's dark waves making Ruby /Regina POV/div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"The rain thrummed against the window sounding like fingertips dancing across it. Regina grabbed her purse and exited the house. The rain made her black hair stick to her head and the black dress cling to her. She ran to Gold's antiques and Pawn Shoppe. She dashed through the door just as the light bell tinkled. She scribbled down something in her notebook and turned around slamming straight into Gold himself. He stared down at her like an animal refusing to help her up. Her lips parted a little and he forced his lips upon her. He ripped open her lip making metallic blood spill into her mouth. Her forced her mouth open and latched onto her tongue. He broke away and Regina gasped pupils wide. And then she collapsed welcoming the abyss letting it consume her, overtake her mind and devour /Gold POV/div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"Gold reeled back in shock but dove forward in time to catch Regina. The blood stained her lips turning them a red and plum mixture. What had he done? He looked at her and then at his hands. He did not have blood on them but his mind's eye showed them drowning in blood that he could not wash off. Guilt consumed him overtaking his mind. One chilling thought seized hold on his mind. Would Regina remember his betrayal?hr / Ruby POV/div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"Ruby walked out arm in arm with Mary and the buggy. They trawled through the lush foliage. Then a knife whizzed past and hit Mary. Ruby screamed and looked in the pram. Emma was gone and in her place was a heart. Then an arrow hit her and Regina and Gold appeared from the side. 'Game over.' Ruby screamed and awoke. The red painted nails had ripped holes in the pillow and the duvet was completely shredded. Her fingertips roamed the cool sheets and seized the burning torch. She shot it at the wall and on it were the words: 'You will never be safe.'hr /Mary POV/div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"Mary woke to Ruby's screams. She ran down the corridor and burst through the door but Ruby was gone. She ran to her room and shook David awake. 'David Ruby is gone.' David consoled Mary and told her to go to bed. Mary's heart was pounding and fears for her friend consumed /Gold POV/div  
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"Gold watched as Ruby's foot stepped over the line. Now her memories where lost she could be used as a weapon against the rest of the town who thought he tried to kill Regina. He hadn't and wouldn't. He loved her. Ruby would be told most things but not what she really needed to know. Gold was her enemy and always would be./div  
/div  
/div 


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: An Apple as Red as Blood

Regina POV

Regina awoke with a foggy mind. Her memories were jumbled and she struggled to sit up. The metallic taste lingered and the thought of it choking her, almost killing her, made her scared. Mary leaned over and a wet flannel was placed upon her forehead and she was force fed water. She coughed and refused to swallow before dehydration claimed her.

* * *

Mary POV

Mary looked at Regina. A few months before she had signed up to help at the hospital and when the Doctor had assigned her Regina Mary's conscience wavered. A mutual friendship existed but it was too fragile. She looked back down and was about to leave when Regina clamped down on her hand. For some bizarre reason, she stayed.

* * *

Gold POV

Gold watched through the mirror just before his fist smashed it. The blood seeped out and cursing himself he wiped it down a white tablecloth. Mary and Regina had a mutual friendship but he could not risk it getting stronger. Regina had been inside his cage so long and now she was trying to break free. He grabbed the table before a low growl echoed round the room. Colin. He turned and Colin flew at him. He held him down before his brother spat.

'You almost killed her. You savage.'

Gold held a knife to his brother's neck and whispered something. Colin's face whitened and fear and terror blossomed in his eyes.

* * *

David POV

David and Ruby watched Mary both watching the way she cared for Regina. David turned to Ruby and saw her struggle with the concept. He looked into her eyes and something unnerved him. Her fears and troubles were written plainly on her face. Realisation struck. She crossed the town border and Gold had told her lies to help him with the trial. Anger boiled inside him. Gold had just caused an eruption, a volcano of fury and everyone saw he had been controlling Regina not the other way round.

* * *

Ruby POV

Ruby saw David's understanding face and knew the facade was over. She relaxed and turned her attention back to Mary. Her friend's kind heart touched her and every time Ruby had doubted her was wiped clean. Mary looked up and walked over.

'I can't leave her. Ruby you look after Emma and David confront Gold. This time he has over stepped completely. He can't do this to anyone especially not the Mayor.'

'Are you sure?' asked David. Mary nodded and returned to Regina's bedside.

* * *

Regina POV

Regina was haunted by the memory of the blood blocking her windpipe and she remembered something. She grabbed her handbag and groped for her notebook. She pulled it out and a page had been ripped out, torn out across the top. She croaked and Mary helped her sip some water. She struggled to sit up and flinched at the cold metal bars at the head of the bed. Mary still held her hand and she was glad for the anchor. She nodded to the mirror and Mary stood up and threw a blanket over it. She slowly started to release her hand but Regina shook her head. She needed comfort and someone to confide in. The other hand still stroked her necklace the tree shape in a circle branches extending up. Mary smiled at her and she realised Mary was always there. Always.

* * *

Colin POV

Gold and Colin circled each other like cats waiting for one brother to spoke and Gold's blood ran cold.

'Regina came to me, told me she feared you and then she kissed me.' Gold lunged but Colin moved out the way. 'She wanted me,' he taunted, knowing his brother would lunge, he moved again. Colin knocked off the cloth over the mirror and the brothers hurtled through the looking glass and with a faint tinkle of breaking glass they burst through into the hospital. Looking Glasses were sources of power allowing people to cross lands and even time zones. Gold used his on Regina but since he assumed she was completely powerless he had covered it with a blanket so if anyone looked they would just see the dark.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Rotten to the core

Mary POV

Mary gasped and moved back. Colin and Gold had just come through the mirror and were tangled in the blanket. Mary pulled it off them and it dawned on them where they were. They tried to run to the bedside but were restrained by David and Ruby. Regina was lying prone and Doctor Wale came bustling in. He ordered them to leave. Then blood dripped down the walls and a voice came through.

'I smell addiction, fear and love.'

The creature moaned as the shadow moved. Mary stared in fear as the shadow stopped, a haggard shape looming over Regina.

Mary stepped in front of her. 'Leave and never bother us again.'

'Yes. This friendship poisons me.' The creature seethed and the body waist down tangled together. 'She was once was so dark now pathetic.'

Regina suddenly awoke, writhing in pain as a finger trailed down her cheek. Then her eyes burnt gold with almond slits and she screamed as a cut spurted ochre blood. Then the room returned to normal.

'That means one of us is the Soul Consumer.'

* * *

Regina POV

The pain was unbearable as the voltage burned every vein in her body. The electricity shot up and burnt every fibre of her soul. The words Mary spoke though she knew where important seemed meaningless as she writhed on the cool sheets. A cold finger was traced down her cheek again and it stopped but when Regina sat up she looked straight into the mirror and saw the gold eyes with almond slits. Her heartbeat quickened and memories flashed before her eyes. The fire, the screaming, the heartbreak, the betrayal and the pain. She screamed and Doctor Wale held her down as she struggled. Then the purple magic shot him across the room her fingers ablaze with power.

Gold looked at her and his magic trapped Doctor Wale. Then, without warning, Regina was on the other side of the room and disappeared in a puff of inky purple and green cloud.

* * *

Mary POV

Mary was in shock. Regina's powers hadn't been used since the town had divided over the choice of Sheriff Graham's affair with her and for a brief period Sheriff Graham had been locked in his own office watched by Coulson the new substitute. Regina had killed Coulson but had completely forgotten her objective was to free Graham. Regina's heart was dark and when she had finally opened up to Mary she had closed just as quickly. Mary wailed in despair and curled up, hand resting upon the sheets that Regina had once laid upon.

* * *

Regina POV

Regina stalked down the street for once with clarity and a clear mind. She walked through the door and unlocked the cell door. Graham's gaunt face looked at her and her magic made him what Regina remembered him as what he looked like before. She walked out with him on her arm. His lips slid down her neck and she smiled, remembering everything.

* * *

Gold POV

Gold watched as Regina unlocked the door and walked out with Graham. Her powers he had taught her, the strength she still possessed was back and it was fierce. His heart pounded as he remembered what lengths he had to go to convince her and to make her his just to lose him to Graham. His fury boiled and he spotted Colin. They looked into each other's eyes and knew what they must do.

* * *

Mary POV

Mary was cold and barely breathing with tears frozen on her face. Doctor Wale moved her, looking into her frozen eyes. The pupils were wide and she wasn't blinking. Her heart rate was low and her lips were completely blue. She was hooked up to a drip machine just as the drip froze solid.

* * *

David POV

David watched helplessly and it was hard to. Mary had been his wife of twenty years and he loved her dearly. They had endured much during the years, deflecting Regina and Gold's magic and protecting Emma, Ruby, Archie, Graham, August and even Regina. His life was incomplete and when he thought he had lost her once before he had fought to get her back. He watched the tubes, drips and machines Mary was hooked up to and his eyes went blurry as the tears welled up. He watched her chest rise and fall and it was slow. He peered in the corner and caught sight of Eleanor. Questions whirled round but he shoved them down. He was desperate and couldn't live without Mary. Desperate souls take desperate measures.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Desperate Souls

Gold POV

Gold watched as David walked in. He knew what he wanted and it was just too perfect. He held out the small bottle which David eyed suspiciously.

'Either you take the bottle or Mary can die. I don't care. It's your choice.'

He took the bottle and left and Colin snuck out of the shadows.

* * *

Mary POV

Mary woke with an ice cold skin and skin which felt taunt against her bones. She looked at David who helped her drink a warm golden liquid. She left the hospital and walked to the Sheriff station. Nobody noticed as she slipped inside.

* * *

Regina POV

Regina walked down the street and walked into the sheriff station. She backed out as she saw Mary and Graham together. They were kissing and Regina's way.

* * *

Gold POV

Gold dodged the dagger and watched in fury. He walked through the

door and went into ReginaReally Gold. Violence?t Regina standing in front of him it was Clara Webb, a seductive Sucreant, and ReginaWere not ready to know what we do. Regina will die Gold and there is nothing you can do to stop it.s StoryBrooke counterpart. Clara locked lips with Darveil and Regina rolled her eyes. They had found each other and few months ago and couldns shop and remembered.

20 years previously...

The hood hid my face as I looked at this pathetic man I saw ten years ago. I locked eyes with him and made him come with me. He kissed me and I whispered in his ear whilst my nails scratched his face.

He froze and breathed my name: Clara. I helped him rid his mind of his torrent of questions and took him with me. I truly felt something for Gold but once upon a December I made the fatal error of bringing Gold to Storybrooke. Of course he saw Regina and developed feelings for her thinking she was me. Unfortunately for him I do not forgive.

* * *

Gold POV

Gold sensed her presence and the guilt overrode his system. He looked down at her pale face framed by her black hair. The red lips that had once been all he had ever wanted were in his house. He heard her voice and it was the same sentence.

She said her voice breaking as she collapsed and cried. He longed to console her but he knew her wild heart still had not forgiven him and she had found love for Darveil. Yet Gold loathed Regina for she has loved countless others, like Daniel her first and only true love, Graham, and even Colin. She looked up at me tear stained.

She screamed.


End file.
